Don Nelson, the influential NBA coach and player, passed away on Sunday at age 86. His family shared that he died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Though the cause of death was not disclosed, the family expressed gratitude for the time spent with him in his final days.
Nelson’s impressive career includes being the second-winningest coach in NBA history. He earned five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics before becoming a coach with over 250 wins for three franchises: Milwaukee, Dallas, and Golden State. Nelson also served as the general manager for these teams.
Throughout his 31-season coaching career, Nelson received the coach of the year award three times. Although he never won a championship as a coach, he reached the conference finals multiple times. Nelson is credited with innovating the ‘point forward’ position and implementing an up-tempo offensive style influenced by his playing days under Celtics coach Red Auerbach.
‘The league hadn’t seen an offense like ours, and the results were undeniable,’ Nelson wrote in 2016.
Nelson spent most of his playing career, 11 out of 14 seasons, in Boston. After retiring as a player, he became an assistant coach in Milwaukee and took over as head coach during the 1976-77 season. Nelson led the Bucks through 11 seasons, securing seven division titles.
His time with Golden State is remembered for the ‘Run TMC’ era, showcasing Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin. However, his tenure was marred by a dispute with Chris Webber, leading to Webber’s trade and Nelson’s resignation in 1995.
Following a short stint in New York, Nelson coached the Dallas Mavericks for eight seasons, where he worked with his son Donnie. Together, they brought German star Dirk Nowitzki to the NBA and developed Steve Nash into a top point guard.
Current Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, stated, ‘Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on basketball is still felt today.’
One of Nelson’s unforgettable moments came when his ‘We Believe’ Warriors upset the top-seeded Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs. By the end of his coaching career, Nelson was the NBA’s career wins leader until Gregg Popovich surpassed him in 2022.
Nelson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. Known for his critical influence on the game, he lived his later years in Maui, Hawaii, managing several vacation rentals.